Finding the Right Book
I believe that everyone can enjoy reading — it’s just a matter of finding the right book. Walking into a library for the first time can feel overwhelming, but you’re not alone. To help you get started, here are some easy-to-use resources designed to guide you toward stories you’ll love.
Book Lists
These are lists of different awards for young adult novels. This is a great place to start.
-
Best Fiction for Young Adults Award– all different genres, lengths, subjects
-
Quick Picks for Teen Readers Award– Often fast reads that’ll grab you early in the story
-
Great Graphic Novels for Teens Award– Try a book with incredible art + a great story!
-
Teens’ Top Ten Award– books nominated and voted on by teen readers
-
Stonewall Honor Book– award for exceptional book featuring LGBTQ+ characters
-
Book Reviews from the Johnson County Public Library Teen Advisory Council
-
LatinX Book Festival this link takes you to their Google Spreadsheet of YA titles
Free Online Book
Suggestion Sites
-
What Should I Read Next– enter something you already like to see similar titles/authors
-
LibraryThing– search for a book you like and look at the similar title suggestions
-
GoodReads– very similar to LibraryThing, also has book lists of various kinds
-
NoveList Plus– search for a book you like and see titles of books readers think are similar
Thank you to Shelly McNerney for curating these lists